Conventional single nozzle showers and bath chairs or benches cannot offer an effective and high quality bath experience to people with severe physical disabilities. People with severe disabilities often require assistance to operate the shower, to use a soap and lather, and to complete other functions such as: washing critical body areas, rinsing lather and body support because of no movement capability on their lower extremities and limited or no movement capability on their upper extremities. These functions are particularly difficult in homes where trained personnel is not available, and it is often difficult in hospitals, rest homes and the like even when trained people are available; due to bath area space and personnel schedule constraints. In addition to this, there are many people living in their own homes who find it difficult to bath, and are reluctant or cannot afford to have some assistance.
Some attempts have been made in the past to fill this need, but they have not been very successful. Some units are constructed so that water nozzles are collocated too distant from critical body areas, most cannot be controlled from within the chair or bench so that a person usually requires assistance when bathing, and none of which the applicant is aware provides the user against variation of pressure and temperature of the water during use. It is well known in the art, that the pressure of the water may be adjusted at the beginning of a shower, however the pressure of the water supply may drop either as the result of the supply running out, or of others turning the cold water taps and hot water taps on and off in the same water system. For example, often a person who requires assistance to move is left by him or herself, a serious change in the water pressure or temperature can take place before the caretaker or assistance returns and the person who requires assistance will need to wait for assistance to perform adjustments. The disabled person is not only exposed to emotionally stressful situations due to feelings of impotence or helplessness, but to dangerous physical situations such as burns caused by hot water. Further, a disable person may feel uncomfortable when exposing his or her private parts for proper cleansing of those areas.
As such, there is a need for an integrated showering and body support system that provides greater independence to individuals having limited or severely constrained mobility. More particularly, there is a need for an integrated showering and body support system designed to provide an effective bathing experience to people with severe physical disabilities.